Should I Field Dress?

[bolo7735]

Do you guys worry about predators coming around for your game or sniffing around after your field dressed?

[hardtimes]

I field dress all game asap.

[Bud B.]

another for field dressing as soon as you can, depending on temps.

I have field dressed many deer by lifting  and wedging the skull in a small tree fork formed by a branch coming off the trunk. If you can get it high enough for the hams to be off the ground you're good to go. I don't like field dressing deer on their side. I like it all to fall out cleanly.

[ChuckC]

Any sharp knife will work.  Bark River makes great knives (I have some). I believe there may be a tutorial for field dressing a deer or elk on the site, or Google search it.  It may help you when it is time, and eventually, it will be time.
Good Luck
ChuckC

[stujay]

Pose your question to the outfitter. If you are not satisfied, field dress it. A good knife for the job is the swing blade by Outdoor edge. I like the bright orange one so I don't lose it.

[JEFF B]

asap then ya can get back to hunting  

[gringol]

bolo,
If you're hunting in FL, you need to worry about the heat much more than a lot of the lucky northerners on this site.  As you know, it was close to 80 today.  That said, "immediate" field dressing is relative.  Don't rush so much that you end up with a pile of sand inside the carcass.  Immediate is better, but an hour or so won't hurt you.  I would suggest bringing some ice and stuffing a full bag inside the cavity as soon as you've field dressed it.

Don't worry about predators.  We've killed most of the big ones in FL already.

You really should get the outfitters take on all this too...

[Stump_pounder]

Originally posted by wingnut:
Explain to the outfitter that you are a "new guy" and need some coaching.  I'm sure they will give you instructions on what they would like you too do.

Mike

Mikes spot on and Insist that you do it. much better to learn with a pro than fumble around on your own.

[joe ashton]

My opinion is to field dress or bone out asap.  but you'll need to discuss with the outfitters. I know some don't want the animals field dress in the woods and have a pit specifically for the 'goo'
near the main camp.

[ronp]

Getting it cooled ASAP is a priority.  So I field dress as soon as I can.  And rinse the cavity with cold water as soon as possible.  A sharp old Buck 105 fixed blade knife is hard to beat for the work.

[PaddyMac]

dittoing Field dress or bone it ASAP. Make sure you have ziplocks for the liver and heart. Any knife is fine, just don't cut too deep. Stay out of the intestines and stomach.

The advice to be totally up front with the outfitter is good. Sometimes when you've done  something a gazillion times you forget what it's like to be a beginner.

[joe ashton]

google field dress this deer in under one minute and buy the video.  Its about $18.  and worth it.

[Stumpkiller]

Originally posted by bolo7735:
Do you guys worry about predators coming around for your game or sniffing around after your field dressed?

Nope.  That gives you something else to shoot while you wait.

[nschlag]

i never field dress. waiting a couple hours won't hurt (most of the time). i take every deer i kill back to the shop and hang them up, skin and then gut right into a large tub.

i have always thought field dressing looks messy and for my situation, unnecessary. like everyone else has said, talk to the outfitter.

if i paid to hunt, i wouldn't expect to have to do any of the dirty work.

[Tom]

I field dress and cool ASAP and have found that although a gutpile is unsightly it doesn't last long at all. A friend dressed a doe last Monday before we took a break for lunch and when we came back the only thing left was the paunch. This was 1 hour after we went out. Check with your outfitter as some don't want something dressed where other game might come across it-although it has been my experience that a gutpile doesn't spook deer as much as one might think.

[StickBowManMI]

I always field dress it right away. Then take a short break and start dragging it out. Where I hunted coyotes would be on it in a short time unless you took it out.

[gregg dudley]

What Mark said is a good start.

While taking proper care of meat is a top priority, the need for speed really depends on where you are hunting.

[gregg dudley]

I just reread your original post and my bet is what the outfitter meant was that from mid-morning to four pm IS the time he has scheduled to recover game.  Most likely he is protecting pime morning and evening hunt time for everyone hunting the property.

[Huntschool]

I suspect we should really know where you are hunting.  FL and late season IL are waaaayy different in temps.....

I know you are really new at this so you need to ask questions of your outfitter as others have said.  

As to the knife.. For me small is better than medimum, but then all I am doing is getting the guts out after which I will likely drive to the animal and haul it to the barn and hang it etc...

[reddogge]

This year were dragging our little Sika deer out to where we parked the tractor and gutted them there. My friend shot two one morning literally walking past the gutting area. Didn't phase these deer at all. Gutpiles don't last long in the woods anyway.